Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

What Do You Want to Know Before WLS?



Recommended Posts

You can get a good amount of information about weight loss surgery: how the procedure goes, what the post-op diet includes, and the average amount of weight loss you can expect.

Still, there’s always some uncertainty surrounding weight loss surgery. Will you be able to tolerate certain foods after it? Will your GERD or diabetes resolve? Will you develop complications? Will the recovery hurt a lot?

If you haven’t yet gotten weight loss surgery and you’re holding back, what’s holding you back? If you were able to choose one of those impossible questions to get answered, which one would it be?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had my gastric sleeve surgery 8 months ago. As of today, I've lost 111 pounds, which puts me 10 pounds away from goal.

What I really wanted to know before surgery was:

  • How would surgery change my everyday life with food?
  • How would I react emotionally to a radically different way of eating and fast weight loss?
  • Would I feel tired and rundown?
  • Would I really be able to exercise?
  • How would my friends, family, and coworkers react to my new eating regimen and weight loss?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Still, there’s always some uncertainty surrounding weight loss surgery. Will you be able to tolerate certain foods after it? Will your GERD or diabetes resolve? Will you develop complications? Will the recovery hurt a lot?

I would like to have known exactly all of that and more - however, there aren't surefire answers to these questions as it all varies a great deal from patient to patient.

I now think that maybe these not-really-answerable questions have been the reason I postponed revision for over a year. I couldn't even know for sure if it would really solve the problem I was getting revision for in the first place (reflux). There was a good chance, yes, but no guarantee.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What I'd like to have known the most.....the very most.....is something that I didn't have the vision to see back then.

What I'd loved for someone to do was to lean in and whisper in my ear, "Dude....you are struggling mightily just to get through each day. You are hurting all the time. You body is betraying your fat lifestyle. You are a ticking time bomb. You are taxing those who love you very heavily. Guess what ?.....Every bit of that will be hugely improved in months. Every single bit of that."

This knowledge would have made the delays leading up to surgery much more tolerable. It would have made me laugh all the way through the short and simple 14 day liver shrink diet. It would have made me laugh at any fear or discomfort. I would have pushed my way to the front of the line and popped in my own IV needle and wheeled myself to the operating room.

Life is so much better now.

In Every Single Way.

That's what I wish I could've known.................

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@@Dub I SO agree that life is infinitely better on the other side of WLS. I am 7.5 months out and over 120#s down in the last year and I am grateful every day for my bypass.

Things I worried about before surgery came from articles I read:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I posted too soon!

Things I worried about before surgery came from articles I read

1. Do people really experience more depression after surgery?

2. Do marriages really fail when one partner makes such a drastic change?

3. Do you really lose friends who can't handle the changes you make?

I know for others this has been a reality. For me, I have been blessed to have my life just get better. But knowing to ask the questions before the surgery and being prepared helped me to keep my eyes open for any potential problems.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Elizabeth21again

      Here I go again...
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×